


Feral Change

by onepieceofharry



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Animagus, Blood and Gore, But also, Character Death, Dark, Draco Malfoy-centric, Gen, Pedophilia, Plot, Politics, Self-Harm, an underage character manipulates a pedophile, it wont be dreary or bleak, just uh, violence and bad stuff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-07
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-11-13 04:50:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18025019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onepieceofharry/pseuds/onepieceofharry
Summary: Love is the mightiest force in this world; steering and saving people's lives every single day.Draco Malfoy makes a new friend in first year who drags him - kicking and screaming - out of his bigotry.But love is a force. Love is a power. And power can corrupt.





	1. Prologue Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter one and two will be prologues, going through year 1 and 2 respectively. The active story begins in year 3 with chapter 3. 
> 
> This will be an extremely plot heavy fic centered around Draco. Canon is changed or played with, and I'll decide later how much of it will be followed.
> 
> I have to say it's very strange to write Draco for the prologues. He's well-educated but superficial and I keep checking my writing like "is this natural??" and then check again like "would a pretentious eleven year old say this??". its exhausting. I promise better (and less abrupt or hurried) writing after these prologues are done.
> 
> this is a fic that's been rattling around in my head for a while now and i excited that the bastard is actually started

Draco knew most of the other first year slytherins, or at least knew their families. Purebloods stick together and his mother had hosted plenty of gatherings over the years for him to familiarise himself with faces, let alone names. Even when a half-blood slips through they're usually from a good family with just one problem child who sullies the family name and makes marriage opportunities for the bastard truly horrific. 

He didn't know Brijette Malefant when she was called to take the sorting but that was alright, the hat stalled on her head for nearly ten minutes but from her set jaw Draco wrote her off as a gryffindor. He was proven wrong as she, with all the grace an eleven year old can muster, delicately made her way to the Slytherin table. He may not recognise her name, but he did recognise good breeding and her posture and attitude said it all. A little thrill went through him. French name; french pureblood. The French families may not concern themselves with war or the decline of society as much as British purebloods do, but they practice almost every tradition known to pureblood society and their dedication to their heritage and status is unparalleled. 

A foreign french witch in slytherin house was going to have a lot of status. Draco would have to get there first.

"Draco Malfoy," He said, extending his hand the moment she sat down, "how do you do."

A few of the other slytherins scowled at him. They'd have to be quicker next time.

"Brijette." The girl replied courteously, taking his hand. Draco was disappointed (but not deterred) at the lack of accent in her voice. She was raised in Britain but hopefully just first generation. His mother would definitely take him back to France if she knew he had a prestigious friend waiting for him.

Realising he had nothing else to keep the conversation he flailed mentally, eyes sweeping the room to remark on something they could potentially bond about but she was already turning around to face the front. Draco didn't pout, because he was better than that, but his not-pouting quickly turned to all out scowling when he noticed the hushed whispers filling the hall. The boy-who-lived was being sorted.

Any idea of repairing the animosity between Draco and Potter quickly left when he was sorted into gryffindor, and instead Draco was left with the smug understanding that he was right in writing off Potter as nothing more than a brash idiot who defeated their lord through fluke alone. A half-blood gryffindor that plebeians would kiss the bloody ground for. How repulsive. He would not be one of them.

To his delight it seemed as though Brijette had much the same disinterest. 

"Don't you care?" Draco asked, gesturing a hand to where Potter was all but sprinting to the gryffindor table.

She looked at him quizzically. "Why would I?"

Delight filled him but Draco quickly squashed it. "He defeated the dark lord."

Brijette smiled and hummed under her breath. "My parents never cared about such things, I don't see why I have to."

Such a statement drew startled looks from the table but Draco was all but dancing in place. Of course; pureblood French families didn't take part in the war, focusing on politics in their own homeland and keeping a carefully neutral position. In doing so they secured so much power for so many pureblood families while British purebloods were scrounging for scraps.

Not the Malfoy's of course, but they did take a hit in a world where Dumbledore reigns.

And Parents. Plural. Both of them involved in wizarding politics meant both of them pureblood. 

Draco pressed his lips together and nodded. She would make a suitable friend for a Malfoy.

***

Unfortunately he was not the only one who thought so. While he knew everyone in his year vaguely enough, they all knew eachother as well. Brijette was something new, _someone_ new, with untold possibilities. Even more, she proved herself as someone competent in their first week of school, having done the reading in every subject and drawing a smile from even the old cat of a transfiguration teacher. It seems even McGonagall couldn't resist how charismatic she was.

And she was.

There was the easy pureblood poise with every step, but beyond that there was - well - confidence, Draco supposed. She greeted every new face with an open smile and never faltered at any challenges that came with being a first year. Even when she got lost she just chuckled and turned around to restart her journey (and she gets lost so often, more than once he's had to haul her back on track). Even in the face of Snape's scowl and general disdain for children she just grinned through it. Draco thought Snape secretly liked her, if only for being competent enough in his class that he can easily give points to his house.

She was drawing. It seemed as if she was always privately amused at something, but never in a mean way; just in a way where everyone wanted to know what it was. 

There was one area, however, where she was completely hopeless.

"Gently! Merlin Brijette just put your weight back and sit properly."

Brijette scowled at him and once more tried to sit properly on her broom only to lose her balance and pinwheel. 

"You know," Brijette said lowly, dusting off her robes after her latest fall, "I do believe brooms are the most primitive form of travel ever invented." 

Draco sniggered. "You would."

"Honestly." She huffed and rolled her eyes.

Draco inwardly cheered at the touch of fondness in her voice. _He_ was going to be her first true friend.

And nothing bonds friends better than some old fashioned gryffindor baiting.

"So," Draco picked at his nails, "think Longbottom's going to make a full recovery?"

Concern flashed across Brijette's features and Draco inwardly groaned. She's going to have to lose any caring towards her lessers if she wants to survive in Slytherin. 

"Madam Hooch thinks so." She shrugged.

Draco hummed. "It might be harder to get back to being a subpar Hogwarts student without this though."

He pulled the small ornate ball from his robes and pretended to admire the craftsmanship, inwardly crowing at the victory. He'd seen the lug drop the object but instead of calling attention to himself chose to save the jokes for his new soon-to-be best friend. Honestly it was quite a sacrifice but he's certain she'll be grateful to be included.

"Draco." Brijette pulled herself to her full height. "Did you steal that?"

"I didn't _steal_ it," honestly, it's such a nasty word for the bit of public service he just performed, "he dropped it, I picked it up."

"Uh huh," Brijette pursed her lips, "and are you going to return it?"

The mood Draco was going for hadn't quite happened and he's left wondering if Brijette was slower than he thought. "Why would I do that?" He smirked, making his intentions as obvious as he could.

Brijette studied him, eyes flicking from his face to the remembrall. Suddenly she seemed to relax, boredly picking up her practice broom to flip in onto her shoulder. 

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean. Why would you possibly care enough about Neville Longbottom to keep the thing and risk getting in trouble? Seems incredibly foolish to me, Malfoy."

Malfoy.

Draco flushed and grappled for something to say, the remembrall suddenly heavy in his hand.

"Oh, looks like lessons are over," Brijette said, marching off towards the storage unit where Madam Hooch was blowing her whistle, "I'll see you around."

And Draco was left there, wondering where he'd went wrong.

***

He sulked.

There was no other word for his behaviour, even when he can feel his father in his ear telling him _Malfoys don't sulk._

Brijette only called him by his last name now, and she flatly refused to interact with him unless she had to which just simply wasn't fair. Everyone in their house seemed to recognise the shift and chose her side, even though there shouldn't be _sides_ to _choose_. She misunderstood him. Or something. He wanted to go explain, but on the off chance she _did_ understand him and actually thought that particular brand of fun was beneath her he didn't dare. 

It's not like she was angry with him. She was cordial and greeted him when he sat down next to her but (ugh!) it's like she just wrote him off. Like she'd judged him and found him wanting. It wasn't fair, and it certainly wasn't right. He's the bloody Malfoy heir; rich and pureblood, who's father could have the bloody minister of Magic sacked if he wanted. He was unarguably the best person there and to have Brijette dismiss him like a Weasley was infuriating.

On top of that Potter was going to be made gryffindor seeker in his first year.

Why did he even care?

Except that was an easily answered question. Brijette was brilliant; everyone knew it. 

Unfortunately she was apparently extremely friendly, even going so far to befriend Hufflepuffs. _Honestly._

Drastic measures needed to be taken to get into her good graces once more. Like apologizing. Though what he had to apologize for only Merlin knew.

"Brijette." She looked up from where she'd been buried in a potions book. They were in a far secluded area of the library where she'd taken up her studying. Though not exactly neat, her notes were always perfect. 

"I came to apologize." And didn't that feel like sand coming out of his mouth. The only one's he'd ever apologized to were his parents. Malfoys don't apologize.

Ugh.

"I'm sorry for offending you."

There. It's said. It's over.

Brijette looked him over, dropping her book to the desk. "Did you return the remembrall?"

The bloody-!

"I handed it in to Madam Hooch." His face was pinched and he hated it.

Brijette nodded to herself. "Alright."

Tension eased out of him, but he stayed rooted there; waiting.

Brijette rolled her eyes. "Do you want to work on this potions assignment with me?"

Draco jumped at the chance and just like that they were friends, er, kind of. Again. He would make a comment on how easy it seemed for Brijette to forgive but Draco was just a bit smarter than that.

***

Brijette- things don't get to her. If she trips down the stairs or says the wrong answer in class she just laughs it off or shrugs. She's impossible to embarrass or get a rise out of, though she did get angry when Draco harassed the gryffindors (something he continues to do, just out of her earshot.)

So when Draco saw her with glassy eyes, carefully swallowing as she listened to some fourth year ravenclaw lecture her, he knew something was wrong.

"Ohhh," he cooed, stepping up to her side where they were having their altercation outside the library doors, "has an upper year dared to speak to a first year? Isn't that against the laws of hierarchy? Or has she really impressed you that much."

Draco subtly stepped in front of Brijette, taking the attention onto himself and allowing her to get a moment to compose herself. It would not due if some random ravenclaw made a slytherin cry.

"I was just explaining," the ravenclaw said snappishly, "that a first year shouldn't be checking out a book on animagus when older students, who might actually get some use out of it, should need it."

Curiously, Draco glanced back to read the inscription on the book. _The human consciousness and the animal soul_. He was impressed despite himself.

"I do suppose there's an unspoken understanding that ravenclaws think they deserve to get their talons on every piece of knowledge before the rest of us." Draco tutted. "Is this the face of ravenclaw arrogance? I must say I'm not impressed."

Brijette giggled behind him and Draco's lip quirked upwards. So he's allowed to bully people as long as they strike first? Good. He's been having trouble holding back his impeccable wit.

"Whatever." The ravenclaw sneered and trotted away like he had better things to do.

Good. Bugger off little birdie.

Draco flattened his robes and prepared himself to skillfully ignore whatever emotion was left on Brijette's face. He wouldn't do anything as Hufflepuff as ask if she was _okay_ , preferring to do the courteous thing and ignore weakness in his friends. Draco hated when his weakness was pointed out.

But Brijette wasn't awkwardly waiting for the moment to pass, instead she was beaming at him like Draco had just bought her a nimbus two thousand.

"Thank you." She said, without a single shred of shame.

_Of course she wouldn't be ashamed. This is Brijette Malenfant._

Draco coughed. "Don't mention it." Why is he the one feeling flustered? "Come on, it's Halloween and there's a feast you know."

Brijette grinned widely and let him lead her to the great hall. 

"Afterwards," Draco said lightly, "you can tell me all about that extremely advanced book you stole from underneath that pompous ravenclaw."

Brijette snorted. "Not much to say- I haven't read it yet."

"Yes but I want to know _why_ you want to read it Brijette. It's not exactly first year stuff."

Brijette pressed her lips together like she was restraining herself from telling a secret. How like her.

"Hey Draco?"

"Hmm?" He inquired halfheartedly. They were almost at the hall and he could smell the food.

"Could you call me Brie? My friends call me Brie."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "I've never heard anyone call you that."

Brijette gave a little teasing jerk of her head. "Guess you must be special then."

She shrugged and flounced into the hallway but Draco sucked in a breath, satisfaction filling him.

_I am her first friend._

He held himself just a little taller when he entered the hall after her.

***

"A troll!" 

"I know!" Brie replied with false enthusiasm, rolling her eyes when he 'wasn't looking'. 

"I see you rolling your eyes Brie! It's a nasty habit. Please have a little more concern for the fact a bloody troll was able to get into Hogwarts? You know? The institution for teaching small, fragile and vastly important people such as myself?"

"Small and fragile?" Brie smirked, "and I obviously care Draco, but it happened over a week ago."

"A troll breaking into Hogwarts doesn't become old news after one measly week."

Brie sighed and tapped the book sitting in front of her pointedly. 

"Alright," Draco huffed, and stopped pacing around the empty classroom to slide into a seat next to her, "why do want to know this stuff again?"

Brie coughed and shrugged, flipping open the book to a specific page.

"Brie," Draco asked, gripping her arm in sudden seriousness, "you're not going to attempt anything are you? We don't even learn about animagi until third year and the potion to make it isn't even taught in class. You could have irreparable side effects, I don't care how good you think you are at potions you're still in first year and-"

"Bloody hell Draco!" Brie yelled, ripping her arm from his grip, "of course I'm not going to try it! I just want to learn the spell that tells you what animal your soul reflects."

"Oh." 

"Yeah. Oh." 

Brie flips to the page she needed, obviously already finished reading the book, and shoves the passage over for him to see.

Draco read the first few lines before losing interest.

"You didn't answer my question though," Draco pointed out, "why do you want to know what your animagus would be?"

"Aren't you curious?" Brie burst out, getting up in order to gesture easily. "It's a reflection of your soul Draco! You could learn so much about yourself just with one spell."

Draco raised his eyebrow. 

"Fine." Brie said, "also my mom is super into these kind of things and I really want something cool to tell her over Christmas."

The mood seemed to shift and Draco focused his attention on Brie to catch it. She was... incredibly herself. Calm and confident, the subtle stirrings behind her eyes that make people think she has too much information.

But she's guarded. Very guarded.

"She must have really loved divination then." Draco said slowly, measuring his response.

"Ah," she replied offhand, "she didn't take divination."

There was weight behind her words, but the meaning Draco couldn't parse.

"Pity." He said, shaking his head to clear his thoughts, "well let's get on with it then."

Brie cheered considerably and immediately starting waving her wand in the motions described in the book. Draco settled down to read what was in front of him and let her practice, ignoring his own little thrill at discovering what his soul reflects.

**Though there is much overlap between a patronus and an animagi form, the two are fundamentally different. Animagi will reflect the caster's spirit or personality in the form of an animal, while the patronus spell reflects what the caster _values_ ; since the spell itself is made of joy and happiness. It's not uncommon for these two forms to be the same, though the statistics aren't there for comparison with how little of wizarding society become animagi. There is also the fact that both patroni and animagi can change their form over time. It is with great wonder researchers have discovered how love can shift the animal of the patronus, but the concept of a changing animagus form is much rarer, as it requires a complete shift in one's soul. Due to the rarity of animagi-**

"I'm ready."

Draco raised his eyes. "Are you sure-"

"I'm ready." She repeated, looking at him with a distinctly fanatic gleam.

Draco frowned. "Maybe we should-"

" _Amato animagus revelio!_ "

Immediately a bird burst out of Brie's chest, springing forth and taking flight without even a flash of light signalling a spell discharge. 

"Draco! Do you see what it is?"

"It's a bird." He deadpanned.

"I know it's a ruddy bird you prat! What kind?"

_Well if it would stop flying around._

Brie's spirit was certainly _spirited._

Eventually the little bird settled to preen it's feathers and Brie wasted no time charging back at Draco. 

Draco squawked and ducked but Brie just wrenched the book out of his hands, flipping to the very back section.

"Draco!" She squealed and placed the book in front of him, pointing at a specific passage.

**Blue bird: there are many species of birds with blue colouring and the subtle nuances of meaning change determinate upon the species. For the purposes of expediency we will outline major character traits across all species. A blue bird symbolises great intelligence and determination. The blue colouring lends itself to reflect the sky, symbolising great clarity. It can also represent fearlessness or protection. Animagi with a blue bird form are generally very purposeful people with a strong sense of morality. Like all animagi, these qualities can manifest in areas the caster might find positive or negative.**

"Do you know what this means?" Brie exclaimed.

Draco shrugged. "You might become minister of magic?" He wouldn't put it past her, Brie had the dedication to put the work in and plenty of charm. Though Draco fancies himself charming, he only does enough work to stave off his family's disapproval.

Draco quirked a lip. Yes, Brie was going to be magnificent and Draco made all the more for knowing her. 

"Nope." Brie drawled, but he could see she was pleased at the prospect. "It means I'm going to be able to fly!"

"In a few years from now. And you're going to register with the ministry so you don't spend a stint in Azkaban." 

It was a perfectly reasonable thing to say, there was no reason for Brie to look so long-suffering.

"Alright." She said, shaking her head. "Your turn."

Draco couldn't even get out his full "beg your pardon" before Brie was waving her wand at him.

Draco heard a clicking sound and looked down at the center of his chest where Brie's wand pointed, only to shriek and start frantically swatting.

A spider, completely back and about the size of his palm detached itself from his chest and chittered on the floor, using spindly legs to dart back and forth on the stone and then disappear when the spell broke.

Draco gasped and clutched his heart, frantically trying to take in breath.

"Interesting."

Repressing the urge to faint Draco snarled and turned on Brie.

She was unimpressed with his anger and simply slid the book over for him to read the passage she wanted.

**Spider: Though generally thought to be a dark omen, casters with spider animagi have a natural creativity to them. As usual the specific species adds nuance, with the deadlier spiders a reflection that the caster is more dangerous. However there are plenty of harmless spiders that can reflect a great capacity for planning and beauty. The spider is often reflective of feminine energy, and as of publication the only known spider animagi have been women.**

****

Draco's jaw dropped and Brie, who had been carefully controlled while he read, burst into laughter. More than laughter; maniacal cackling.

****

"Obviously the spider was a black widow or something. It's clearly a reflection on how dangerous I am."

****

"It was a common house spider!" Brie could barely gasp out, "the only thing you're a danger to is a fly. No wait! Is there such a thing as vegetarian spiders? Because if there is that's what you are."

****

Draco stomped his foot. "I'm also very creative! And good at making plans it said!"

****

"Yup," Brie said, trembling with mirth, "and we can't forget-"

****

"Stop."

****

"-your feminine beauty."

****

"Brie!"

****

The cackling continued and Draco flushed. He was handsome for a boy his age dammit, and he'll grow to be the handsome and charming Malfoy heir he was destined to be. 

****

"Don't worry Draco," Brie patted his arm consolingly, "I'll be minister of magic and you can be my trophy husband."

****

For a moment Draco got lost in the idea of being the spouse of the minister of magic only to choke when her words fully penetrated his skull. His blush went even more fiery and all the way down to his chest.

****

Brie was unconcerned that she'd basically just proposed to him, sliding into a seat to read more of the book and halfheartedly chuckle now and again.

****

"You know," Draco coughed, trying as smoothly as possible to get over his embarrassment, "spiders are very small, and very unnoticeable."

****

Brie nodded to herself then seemed to frown, looking up at him in concern. Draco resisted the urge to roll his eyes in a very Brie-like manner. _You weren't worried about my self-esteem a minute ago!_

****

"What I mean," Draco continued, "is that I could stick to walls and overhear things. Crawl under doorways or through windows. It would be completely undetectable unless they had reason to suspect an animagus."

****

Brie regarded him suspiciously. "Yes, and even wards to alert when a spell is cast wouldn't sound, because you would be already magically altered beforehand."

****

"The perfect spy."

****

Brie's eyes twinkled. "Is this the 'planner' part of a spider animagus?"

****

Draco shrugged. "I'm just saying, if you really want to be minister of magic then having someone spy on your competitors might not be a bad idea."

****

"I'm going to become minister with honour Draco," of course she is, "but I definitely could use a spy."

****

They stared at each other, twin pleasure and mischief reflecting in their eyes before the spell broke and both of them starting sniggering at their delusions of grandeur. 

****

"Oh well," Brie said shaking her head, "that's for way in the future. Though you know Draco? You could do something else with your animagus form. Well, we could do something."

****

"What is it?"

****

"Well," Brie said, "as you've pointed out, you're small and sticky. And my animagus could definitely carry the weight of a spider."

****

An image of a spider crawling on a bluebird made him shudder. Brie scoffed.

****

"You idiot. I could carry you. We could both fly together."

****

Suddenly the appeal of an animagus form made sense to him.

****

"And there are certain species of spiders who can make parachutes out of their webs. I'm sure you could learn to do that so you'll always be safe."

****

"Parachutes?" 

****

Brie waved him away. "Muggle contraption. It's like an umbrella that lets you fall from great heights without damaging yourself."

****

Draco nodded, though curled his lip at the idea of making something muggle.

****

"Draco."

****

Draco looked up and felt the unfamiliar sensation of his stomach sinking in both despair and excitement. He recognized that gleam in her eyes.

****

"Let's do it."

****

Draco didn't try and play dumb. "No."

****

"Not right now." Brie said fervently, "but in a few years. Let's do it together."

****

Together.

****

Draco shook his head to clear it, which Brie misinterpreted as denial. 

****

"Come on Draco," She whined. _She's comfortable around me. She wouldn't have whined like this in the beginning of the year_ , "don't you want to come flying with me?"

****

_With me._

****

Bloody hell.

****

"Okay."

****

Brie's head shot up. "Really?" She asked breathlessly.

****

Draco nodded, holding out his hand. "I promise we'll both become animagi together," he said, before adding gravely, "in a few years."

****

Brie took his hand with excitement and pride? Joy? "I promise."

****

They shook on it, and it was sealed.

****

***

****

"Are you certain that your parents won't let you come to the mansion over the holidays?" 

****

Brie gave him a patient look from her position reclined on the stone entryway where they waited for the carriages to take them to the train. Probably because they were in public, if it was just them she'd have given him a pinch. 

****

"Yes Draco, I'm absolutely certain."

****

Draco whined again. Everyone in their year (well, everyone who _mattered_ , which meant everyone slytherin) was going to be there for the annual Malfoy Yule banquet, being dragged along with their parents regardless of what they wanted. It's not like it was going to be dangerous. All the kids leave before some of the stranger characters show up. Even Draco is put to bed early. 

****

You are never to be alone with these men Draco. If I see you're out of bed at any point tonight I will be returning one of your Christmas presents.

****

Obviously Draco never disobeyed his mother (especially with presents on the line), but everyone else's parents clear out before those people show up so it's not like it should matter to Brie's folks.

****

He told her as much and she gave him a strange look. 

****

Her parents are french, they must really dislike British festivities.

****

"Draco," Brie asked suddenly, "do you think it's odd that muggles celebrate Christmas? I mean, both muggles and wizards share this holiday - if only in certain parts of the world."

****

A fire lit in Draco's belly and before he knew it he was yelling. "They stole the holiday from us Brijette! Christmas was originally a magical holiday, with all the traditions to go with it. Next thing we know muggles are hacking down trees and renaming it. Merlin knows why we adopted the word 'christmas', probably because of the infighting on what the day should be called, but it's the _only_ thing about this holiday that muggles contributed. It's _our_ holiday. They stole it."

****

Brie opened her mouth and then closed it again, deep in thought.

****

"Didn't your parents ever teach you this?" Draco asked incredulously, "Everyone knows this."

****

Brie blushed. "My parents aren't really... enthusiastic about the holidays. I'm sure there's plenty I don't know."

****

Draco was aghast. "You still get presents right?"

****

Brie laughed at him. "Yes Draco I get presents. And we still do the tree and everything, I just don't know a lot about why."

****

Draco shook his head, uncharitable thoughts about foreigners filling him. Who bloody neglects Christmas?

****

"I suppose it could be worse," Draco sighed dramatically as he caught sight of a garish blend of red and gold, "at least you have people to go home to. Truly a shame some people spend Christmas alone."

****

Potter caught his eye and glared. Draco stared back with his _nastiest_ smile.

****

This time Brie did pinch him.

****

"Hey!" Draco objected, rubbing his new sore spot.

****

"What the hell is wrong with you? I thought you weren't doing that anymore."

****

_Not where you can see._

****

"Brie," Draco beseeched, "it's Potter. You know how much I hate him." 

****

"Oh yes." Brie mocked, "because he committed the oh-so horrible crime of refusing to be friends with someone who'd just insulted his mate."

****

"He chose a _Weasley_ over a _Malfoy!_ "

****

"So you decide to mock him over his dead parents? Are you really that insecure?"

****

Draco's mouth twisted in distaste. "I'm not insecure. What a muggle thing to say."

****

Brie rolled her eyes. "Then stop acting like it. What if your parents were dead? Picture it Draco. Picture what your life would be like if your parents were dead and some prat felt the need to bully you over it."

****

Draco's heart gave an uncomfortable clench but he ignored it, choosing to focus on the flush rising in Brie's cheeks. 

****

_She's really angry._

****

"But it's Potter. Not me."

****

Brie made a disgusted sound. "You know what Draco? Goodbye. I'm sitting with Milicent."

****

"What?!" Draco whitened. "Come on Brie, it's not a big deal."

****

"It is to me. Happy Christmas. I'll see you after the holidays."

****

With a flick of her wand her trunk was in the air and she marched away before Draco could even organise his thoughts. 

****

Why.

****

"Happy bloody Christmas." 

****

***

****

Draco stewed. 

****

His mother flitted anxiously around him the whole holiday, trying to engage him with traditions but nothing could hold his attention for more than a moment.

****

Brie had ridden the carriages _and_ the train without him. Milicent actually kicked him out when he tried to join.

****

The Malfoy banquet was a smashing success as always and, as always, Draco was sent to bed early with his Christmas presents held hostage to keep him away from the more dangerous folk his parents invite over.

****

Who cares.

****

Brie was probably spending Christmas going through the motions with parents who just go through the tradition like it's a task they don't want to do. They might even resent the holiday. Bastards.

****

Father eyed him in a strange way when he opened his gifts Christmas morning. Draco tried to care.

****

_If Christmas is an obligation for Brie's family what do they get her? What kind of gifts does she receive from a family that doesn't care for Christmas?_

****

Bloody hell it was Potter! He was allowed to bully Potter because it was _Potter._

****

The feast was remarkable as always; the house elves working through the night to make the best pastries and sweets, along with plenty of roasted bird.

****

But Draco cared about Brie more than Potter. And she didn't like it when he bullied him. Draco knew that and he'd done it carefully so he was out of her presence every time. 

****

_What if your parents were dead?_

****

Draco stewed.

****

***

****

"Brie?" 

****

His friend eyed him warily from her favourite spot in the library. 

****

"I'm sorry. I won't bully Potter anymore."

****

Brie stared at him, then spluttered. "Just like that?"

****

Draco nodded, enjoying her reaction. "Yes. You're right and I shouldn't care about him." Draco paused and then added, "but if he does something incredibly stupid I won't be able to resist. But it will be rare. I promise."

****

Brie laughed incredulously. "Why?"

****

Draco looked away. "I care more about what you think of me than I do him."

****

Brie jumped up from the table and wrapped him in her arms.

****

Oh.

****

"Thank you Draco!"

****

Draco tripped over his words but decided instead just to hug back. Yes. He'd made the right decision.

****

"So are you going to apologize to him?"

****

Draco gave her a _look_ and she was laughing again. At his expense, but he couldn't seem to care.

****

"Also," he coughed, "when you told me about your family and Christmas it got me thinking," why did she look so stricken? It must be worse than he thought, "you probably don't get very many gifts then. So I thought I'd get you something."

****

Draco shakily (why was he shaking?) drew the box from his robes and presented it to a stunned Brijette.

****

"It's also an apology, but more of a gift." Dammit stop being awkward. "Happy Christmas Brie."

****

Brie lifted the thin necklace out of the box and Draco's heart lifted with it at the sight of her face.

****

It was a simple silver chain with a tiny sculpture of a bluebird; barely bigger than a knut, but crafted with magic so the bird ruffled it's feathers when it was moved.

****

Brijette stared at him like he was father Christmas himself. 

****

Draco cleared his throat. "Girls like jewelry."

****

She was hugging him again, pressing her face into his shoulder and refusing to let go. 

****

It was spectacular.

****

"I didn't get you anything." She reminded him.

****

Remarkably, for probably the first time, Draco didn't care. 

****

***

****

"That was absolutely the worst quidditch game I've ever seen."

****

Brie nodded solemnly. It was certainly a grave day indeed when slytherin loses to Hufflepuff. 

****

Draco groaned. "And our seeker is a seventh year, which means we'll need another one next year that they'll have to train up."

****

Brie nodded less solemnly this time, a spark of mischief in her eyes akin to the Weasley twins.

****

"What." Draco prompted, already exasperated.

****

Brie hummed. "What if," she said slowly, pulling a hand up to fiddle with the chain around her neck, "you went out for seeker next year?"

****

Draco opened his mouth, closed it, shook his head, and smirked. 

****

"I knew I kept you around for something."

****

***

****

"How come you never write home?"

****

Brie made a funny face. "What do you mean? You see me get letters all the time at breakfast."

****

"Yes, but I never see you _write_ one."

****

Brie tripped on the step she was climbing and Draco frantically struggled to catch her.

****

"I write them at the owlery." She said once recovered.

****

"Why?"

****

She gave him a look like he was slow. 

****

"Efficiency."

****

***

****

"So the quidditch cup might be out of our hands," Brie said in the way where only Draco knew she was excited, otherwise she just sounded bored, "but the house cup is _ours_." 

****

It was true, and Draco grinned savagely at the silver and green hangings that filled the hall. He also took satisfaction in knowing so many of those house points that led to this moment were Brie's, and how no teacher was immune to her charm.

****

No teacher should be immune to _Draco_ either but alas, he intimidated them too much.

****

Of course over the next ten minutes all the satisfaction slowly melted off both of them. Instead, a dawning horror filled every student at the younger end of the slytherin table as their victory was given to the lions. 

****

Brie looked heartbroken, and Draco discovered that he hadn't actually hated Dumbledore until that moment. She bit her cheek and clapped politely as the banners were changed. Draco just sidled up next to her and reminded her about dessert.

****

***

****

"Why can't I send you letters this summer?" 

****

Draco was pouting. He knew it, Brie knew it, the whole bloody train knew it but he didn't care.

****

"My family travels during the summer Draco," Brie said gently, "we don't stay in a place long enough for post to arrive. It would just confuse the owls."

****

Draco pursed his lips, but no matter what he tried their downward curve stayed put.

****

"We could organise a trip to diagon alley? To get your school stuff-"

****

"I'm really sorry Draco, but it's not going to happen." She did look sorry. She even looked devastated. 

****

_That wouldn't do._

****

"Then," Draco ground out, forcing as much cheer into his voice as he could, "then I guess I'll see you in September. You better have good stories to tell me Brijette! I'm very demanding when it comes to these things you know."

****

"I know." Brie was hugging him again and Draco wouldn't cry because he's not a child anymore. And he'll be seeing his parents soon. So he can't cry.

****

But he could hug her back. That was allowed.

****


	2. Prologue Part 2

“Your father bought the _whole team_ nimbus two-thousand and one’s?”

Draco grinned widely as he delicately folded down his brand new quidditch robes. His first practice had been completely successful, not least of which because he’d made the Weasley eat slugs. “Isn’t it wonderful? There’s no way we can lose the cup this year, especially not with me on the team.”

Brie bit back her grin and shook her head. “Yes and I’m very proud of you, but can you see how it might look to the other students?”

“Why would I care what they think?”

Brie stared at him. “Come on Draco, you’re not that thick. Do you want a reputation as someone who gets things just by throwing money around?”

“I earned my spot Brie! It’s not like my family is the only wealthy family in slytherin house.”

“I _know_ that Draco,” Brie sighed, “but other people won’t. It could make them resent you.”

Draco groaned. “Can’t I just enjoy my new position as seeker? Without worrying about the opinion of some random quidditch fanatic griping about fairness?”

Brie looked like she wanted to argue more and Draco groaned. It’s not like he doesn’t see the sense of caring about the school’s opinion, but it was bloody annoying having to consider it after feeling so amazing being on a broom and wearing his house colours for the first time in (what he hoped) to be a long and glorious quidditch career.

Brie subsided suddenly. “Alright Draco. Congratulations on getting seeker.”

Draco immediately perked up. Yes, that was much better. Draco Malfoy: Slytherin seeker.

***

Ominous warnings written in blood weren’t exactly something Draco would usually relish in, but this case was special.

Oh _dear merlin_ it was special.

_THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED, ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE_

It was like the culmination of every story he’d ever been told. Here was the beginning; the stirring in the crowd, the fear in their eyes, the absolute uncertainty in the face of pure destiny.

Everyone was frozen. Draco was not.

“You’ll be next, Mudbloods!” And he felt his words ring true. 

The revolution his father always dreamed of has begun.

“Hey Draco,” Brie said next to him. She was pale and shaking but gave him a cheeky grin anyways. “Aren’t those your brethren?”

Draco followed her line of sight only to startle at the trail of spiders all neatly exiting the castle through a window. 

“Or I suppose I should say,” Brie said lowly, “your _sisters?_ ”

Draco made a noise of outrage that didn’t die even as they were shepherded back to the dormitories. 

***

Brie was acting strange.

She was avoiding the common room, spending more and more time in the library or her personal quarters. When she left for class or dinner she seemed to dawdle by the exit to the rest of the castle until someone else left first. She didn’t reply sometimes when Draco asked her questions, she refused to use the loo that wasn’t inside the girl’s dormitory, and she seemed remarkably uninterested in Draco’s first game as slytherin seeker.

“Come _on_ , Brie!” Draco groused. “I’m not going to be late! My father is going to be there you know.”

“I know, Draco.” She said tiredly. She really hadn’t been getting enough sleep.

Draco scoffed. “Well it doesn’t sound like it! This is important to me.”

Brie softened, taking a deep breath and putting a hand on his shoulder. “I know. I’m sorry. Let’s go show the gryffindors how quidditch is really played.”

***

“He can talk to snakes.”

“I _know_ Brie. It was my bloody snake he was talking to.”

Brie either didn’t hear him or didn’t care, so wrapped up in her thoughts was she. 

Draco hated this. She was always so far away from him these days, jumping at shadows and detached from any kind of conversation. Normally Draco would feel proud that she was plotting something but this felt more like worry, which was completely unacceptable.

“What is he’s the heir? Like everyone is saying.”

Draco rolled his eyes. “He is most definitely _not_. Why do you care, Brie? You told me in first year that you didn’t care about Potter.”

Brie looked at him sharply. “I care about the maniac going around petrifying people. I think that’s very sensible of me.”

Draco waved. “It was just a first year mudblood. We’re slytherin, so we’re safe.”

Her face paled and actually turned faintly green. Draco yelled, “How are you not seeing the good this will do? With mudbloods removed we can actually have a wizarding society that respects us! Instead of coddling their ignorance and lesser abilities we’ll be improving by leaps and bounds! Our world will be full of strength and dignity once more!”

Brie looked beyond stricken now, with tears appearing in her eyes and her whole body curling inward. Draco swallowed and looked down. Yes Brie is kinder than she should be but she has to see what a plague mudbloods have been. Why does she care? Care so strongly that she, his Brie, would actually start crying.

Indignation mixed with concern left Draco a confused mess but the true nail in the coffin was how she reached up to grab at her necklace, clenching the bluebird in her fist as tightly as she could manage.

She was angry at Draco. 

And she was scared of him, and she was reminding herself of their friendship to help her through.

Suddenly Draco was the one turning green.

“Okay, look,” he swallowed, glancing around the corridor to make sure they were alone before pulling her into an empty classroom to preserve her dignity, “whoever is doing this won’t touch slytherin house. We’re _safe_ , Brie. They’re doing this to protect us from our enemies, remember? Enemies of the heir beware. We’re _safe._ You’re _safe._ ”

Brie shook her head violently. “That’s just it, isn’t it Draco! That’s just it!”

“What?!” Draco all but yelled, through with being kept in the dark. “What is ‘it’?!”

She growled lowly, taking a minute to compose herself before pushing her shoulders back and staring at him with dead eyes, yet somehow still convey her fear. 

“My father writes horror novels. He’s very famous and has millions of readers to support him. You can find his books displayed in muggle shopping centers. He’s a bestseller.” She took a shaking breath. “He supports my mother, who has a number of different causes to fill her days. She can always be found with a crowd outside of parliament when they go to pass laws she doesn’t particularly find fair.

“Both of them had never known about magic until a little over a year ago, when I got my letter to hogwarts.”

No.

“I’m muggle-born, Draco. And there’s a very high chance someone is trying to kill people like me.”

She didn’t stay to hear his reaction, sprinting from the room like there was a dragon on her heels.

***

“You lied to me.” Draco said as calmly as he could bear.

The library was dead quiet, but they were in Brie’s favourite spot so the sound shouldn’t carry. Even so, Draco’s speech was muted.

Brie nodded rigidly, and the greatest relief Draco had ever felt coursed through him.

After Brie had told him her ridiculous story the night before Draco had been frozen in shock, barely able to move or get back to the dungeons before curfew. The mere idea that Brie could be a mudblood was impossible, and he couldn’t help the bubbling joy at the realization she’d been lying.

He had no idea why the silly prank had even occurred to Brie. She’d almost given him heart failure.

“I knew it,” Draco said smugly, “as if you could be a mudblood. It’s such a ridiculous story, you should have known better than to think I would fall for it.”

Brie tensed, every line of her prepared for a fight. “I meant I lied about being pureblood. I didn’t lie to you last night.”

Draco made a disbelieving sound. “I already caught you out, Brie. You can end the joke now.”

“It’s not a joke. It’s the truth.” Brie caught his eye. “You know me, Draco. You know.”

Draco laughed and ignored the hysteria rising in his voice. “Sure Brie, just like I know it’s impossible for a mudblood to become slytherin. Stop lying.”

Brie inclined her head. “It’s true that slytherin was prejudiced, but he’s not the one who sorts the students. The sorting hat does that.”

“Yes, and the sorting hat has never put a ruddy mudblood in slytherin.”

“It has,” Brie said, “but before it did it _told me_ about the house. It told me about how people would be cruel to me because of my blood. And it gave me the choice to choose another.” Brie sighed and dropped he head in a hand, “I had too much ambition, and too much stubbornness. I asked to be put in slytherin. So it let me.”

“You’re lying,” this time the hysteria forced itself through, making his words shake and fists clench, “stop _lying_ Brie.”

“I’m not.”

A wounded, beastly sound carved it’s way out of his throat. Revulsion and betrayal fought for equal territory in his heart. _A mudblood!_ A fucking mudblood. He’d shared dreams and secrets and knowledge with a mudblood. The _category_ of people Draco hated. That his father hated. That his father had killed in cold blood.

He’d dreamed of being her husband, of seeing her as the minister of magic and passing laws that forbade mudbloods from joining the ministry. He’d seen her gain approval from every slytherin in her year, all from good and _pureblood_ families; giving her deference because of her skills and her poise.

It was wrong.

So blinded was he by his rage, Draco hadn’t even noticed Brie slip from the desk and leave the library.

***

He hated her.

She wisely stayed away from him after that, pairing off with Milicent and sitting as far away as she could at the great hall. The slytherins easily sensed the divide that had opened up between them, and took advantage to try and assert themselves in Brie’s life.

_I hate her!_

The foulest creature he’d ever been taught about had been the mudblood. The muggle that infiltrated their world, like the most sinister of shades. They go to their schools and shop at their stores and create substandard potions and ruins and spells like they’d reinvented magic itself. They thought themselves as equal, and in pretending they are they bring down the whole of magic.

One word from him and Draco could ruin Brie’s life. He could shatter every tentative ally she’d made in slytherin. Every hearty laugh she pulled from Milicent could be a scathing insult, every compliment a condemnation. He could paint a target on her back and even the higher years wouldn’t resist taking revenge on a mudblood who’d pretended to be a pureblood. She’d be helpless.

The image didn’t appeal to him.

Frustration and loathing built in him once again but as always they were eventually directed towards himself. 

Because every time he went to tell someone he couldn’t force the words out.

It was wrong. She shouldn’t be in slytherin. She shouldn’t even exist in the first place. She had lied to him and betrayed him and she didn’t deserve his care or consideration.

She didn’t deserve his love.

Draco clamped a hand over his mouth as a sob managed to wrench itself free. She was his best friend. He loved her. And she had blood as black as tar.

He hated her.

***

It took a week for Draco to crack.

He had hoped he’d crack the other way; that he’d finally wake up and feel nothing but contempt for the girl he’d given his first christmas gift to. That he’d uphold the values of his family and call out the mudblood for the world to rightly mock.

Instead Draco overheard Blaise say something just a tad too presumptuous and his idiot feelings had forced himself to intervene.

“I’m always open, Brie.” Blaise said cockily, “When you’re ready for a new best friend look no further than right in front of you.”

Possessiveness and contempt curled in his belly and before Draco knew it he was plopping down in between the two on the bench at breakfast, reaching out to curl an arm around Brie’s waist and slide her closer to him.

The group of slytherins startled before bursting into laughter. They took the piss out of him for a long time but Draco didn’t look up to meet any of their eyes, or Brie’s eyes either. He just stared down at his eggs without removing his death grip on Brie. Brie leaned into him.

“Thank you.” She said so softly that Draco barely caught it.

Draco bit his lip and chanced a glance at his friend. She was stroking the necklace around her throat in contentment.

He loved her.

***

They didn’t speak much in the beginning. They partnered together and walked the halls, but only the most cursory of words ever made their way to the open air. There was only one subject they could actually engage in, and Draco refused to talk about it. 

They didn’t have the easy rapport they shared before. It hurt.

So Draco had to do something, but he could only really voice one thought.

“Don’t you hate me?”

Brie jumps, staring at him with wide eyes. Draco didn’t elaborate.

“No.” She said. “I don’t hate you.”

Draco nodded, and realized distantly he was shivering. “I hated you. I still kind of do.”

Brie opened her mouth to retort and Draco knew she was about to apologize, only for her to change course and shake her head. “I can’t change who I am, or how I was born. This isn’t something I can control.”

Somehow he’d forgotten that. Or rather, he refused to consider that mudbloods didn’t ask to be born any more than purebloods did. Draco hadn’t thought a lot of things through he knew, but he had been certain of his beliefs. 

This uncertainty was killing him. When Granger accidentally touches him in the hallway he still instinctively recoils. When Brie touches him he leans in. 

He ached. His head and his heart couldn’t seem to find a consensus. 

So he didn’t try. Draco just let himself be Brie’s friend while ignoring everything else.

***

He couldn’t ignore it anymore when Granger got petrified. Because Brie could be next.

“It’s not going to get you.” He all but snarled. “Whatever- _whoever_ is doing this won’t lay a hand on you. I promise.”

Brie still shook, trembling under her robes as the news came down that Potter’s friend had been attacked.

“I _promise,_ Brie.” He impressed upon her. 

She didn’t believe him, or maybe she just couldn’t hear him through her terror.

An unfamiliar feeling seized his soul and wrenched. She may not believe him, but he meant it. Every word.

***

Draco couldn’t stop himself from feeling the rightness when his fellow slytherins decried mudbloods, and he couldn’t stop the feeling of agreement when they cheered on the attacks. But now every time he heard such things he looked for Brie, either to gauge her response to the words or to remove her from the area. Sometimes both.

He’d figured it out. She was the _exception_. She was strong and sure and cunning in a way mudbloods aren’t, so she must be, somehow, the child of squibs. Or the great grandchildren of squibs. Therefore the magic in her was pure, and it made her into the formidable witch she is. She doesn’t have muggle magic, she has proper magic that just skipped a few generations. 

Draco never shared this hypothesis with Brie.

Either way they got their stride back. Having his support seemed to give her back her disgustingly gryffindor courage and she carried herself as she had in first year. Brie joked with him again, and somehow they easily fell into their old roles despite the massive shift.

(Sometimes Draco sees her stroke the bluebird carving looking thoughtful. He quickly looks away.)

The news that Dumbledore had been sacked reached him before anyone else. 

“My father did it.” He couldn’t help but announce proudly. He got approving nods and pats on his back and overall all the attention he could ever want from the rest of the slytherins.

“I know.” Brie only said flatly.

So maybe he should have considered that though he might find her an honourary half-blood, she was still technically considered muggleborn.

***

“I’m not upset.”

“Really? Because you certainly feel upset.”

Brie rubbed her temples but before she could retort Draco was pulling her behind a stone pillar.

“What-”

“Shh!” He shushed and gestured down the hall. “Look.”

Sure enough, there was Potter exhaustively taking step after step towards McGonagall’s office. He was covered in dirt and sweat and - was that _blood?_ With him was the Weasel, the Weaslette, Gildery Lockhart, and a bloody phoenix. He was carrying a sword.

Both of them waited in silence for the odd band to pass before grabbing at each other.

“Did you see-!”

“The sword!”

“-and a bloody phoenix! What-”

“The blood!”

“-Lockhart looked even more mad than usual.”

They panted and stared down the corner the group had disappeared around.

“Well,” Brie gasped, “I don’t think that’s any of our business.”

Draco heaved a laugh. “I also kind of think that there won’t be any more attacks.”

Brie grinned at him. He grinned back.

***

The year ended much the same as it did last year; with Draco pouting.

He _knew_ now why he couldn’t send Brie letters, the muggle address would be a dead give-away to his parents (”That’s why you always wrote your letters at the owlery! So no one could see the address.” “Yes Draco you’re very clever for figuring that out.”) Still, he didn’t want to spend the whole summer dodging boredom - and his father, who seemed to be in an especially foul mood if his letters were any indication.

“It’s only a summer, Draco. You’ll see me again next year, and it’s not like you didn’t survive without me the last summer.”

Draco scowled. “I can still be upset, can’t I?”

Brie smiled at him endearingly, stroking her necklace. “I suppose you wouldn’t be you if you weren’t.”

Not knowing whether or not he should take offense, Draco just said nothing. Instead he pulled her into a hug and held tight as the train pulled into platform nine and three-quarters.

“I’ll see you again, Draco.” Brie said encouragingly after a moment. “But you need to leave first.”

_Because Brie’s parents were instructed to come an hour late, so no one would see they were muggles._

Draco shook his thoughts away and regarded his friend.

“I’ll see you next year then.”

He chased himself away from her before his strength left him. 

_This summer is going to be just a long wait, isn’t it._

He was wrong. That summer was the end of everything.


End file.
